08N - Serpent's Lair

New Terra, one of the oldest and largest cities in the known Galaxy still standing. It was ages ago when the city had begun to spread across the entire planet with the only remains of the previous world seen in the large parks, gardens, and oceans that had been preserved from destruction in the early Empire and late Republic.

The planet itself is claimed as home by over 6 billion inhabitants spread over drastically changing social and economic landscapes from wealthy upper class holdings to impoverished lower class industrial areas which sometimes border one another, standing above all is the Imperial Court itself.




The grounds of the Imperial Court itself encompasses a huge enclosed area of land stocked with vegetation making it easily recognizable from space as it bares a stark contrast to the city which surrounds it. The Court itself acts as it's own small city with entire armies of servants, bureaucrats, and other officials stalking the halls attending to their respective duties with several nearby lodgings often rented by Nobles. Being allowed to live within the walls of the Palace could prove immensely useful to a particularly ambitious courtier as it allowed residents access to the many prestigious events commonly held within the walls as well as potentially having access to the Emperor himself which could prove essential to their ambitions.

The palace building itself, called the Heart of the Empire, covered a total area of over 80 square kilometers and included well over 400 kilometers of corridors. All power in the Empire stemmed from the Court which included the base of operations for many Noble Estates as well as various ministries of bureaucratic significance not to mention the Emperor himself. With the Empire being a nation heavily invested in maintaining trade with other powers it provided free and luxurious quarters to foreign dignitaries who would generally have easy access to the Emperor's diplomatic staff or the Autocrat himself.


Potential actions by other nations include diplomacy, espionage, trade, or even just attending a ball, state dinner, or other festivities.

Major goods imported by the Empire are: Military and Industrial equipment(weapons, machines, fighters/bombers, augmentations), Ships(especially military vessels), and of course Helium-3.
Major goods exported by the Empire include: Soldiers(contracted, essentially state mercenaries), Luxury goods, Food, Finance(banking infrastructure and the like), Labour(for potential work and construction projects), as well as a variety of important resources which could help power another Empire's industry.


Current Events: Security has been escalated after an extensive period of civil unrest.

Recorded music filled the room muffled by conversation, further contributed by the man Antoine was speaking with,

"Oh it's lovely in Panormus this season, you should visit sometime, with your Wife..." the man was dressed in a white naval uniform, he was a member of the Hassan family and held modest territories, but Antoine's interests resided elsewhere.

"I shall, excuse me." he made his way to the crowded corner of the room which the Emperor had seized for himself by mere presence alone, his attendance was surprising very rarely did the Emperor attend council meetings, instead preferring to leave that to the First Minister. Antoine was certain this new-found interest had to do with increasing unrest within the Empire coupled with greater amounts of alien raids on the frontier, there had been 23 riots in various sectors of the Capital alone and many more strikes and protests which for now luckily remained peaceful. Added to this was a first contact situation in the Tefeull Zone and the occupation of Ambrosia in which marauding Imperial soldiers had spawned the catalyst for civil unrest in the first place, although the support from rebellious noble houses and other rival entities didn't help either.

He made his way through the group and spoke to the man at the center of it, "Will we begin, Imperial Highness?"

The Emperor himself was an impressive figure, standing at a height of 6'2 he towered over much of the men in the room and he supported this height with a powerful physique which he had maintained through genetics, exercise and sporting events with other Nobles. His attitude, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as perfect the Emperor was a prideful and arrogant man who's only reason for sitting the Throne in the first place was the Kurgan League's confidence they could easily keep him under control. This was proven unwise as the Emperor had been the main instigator of the trade crisis and war which had now befallen the Empire in the first place and he was now embarking on his most hazardous course of all, actually governing the Empire.

He looked to Antoine with contempt, "So we shall." after the assembled council had taken their seats Antoine began,

"The first order of business is the Rebellion," one knew to choose words wisely with the Emperor around, "the fate of the previously independent trade zones as indicated in the Berallia Agreement as well as captured Guild holdings themselves must be determined. It is the opinion of my office that these territories be gra-"

"These areas will be given to local Nobility deemed worthy of holding them," he stroked his great beard "Furthermore the estates of local Nobility supporting these rebels through trade and other means shall be usurped by the Imperial Domain and equally redistributed along similar lines." Antoine didn't hold his tongue.

"Your Imperial Highness, you can't possibly expect the Diet to accept their distribution rights to be usurped in such a manner!?!" Antoine stood, addressing both the Emperor and the assembled Ministers, who remained quiet. He understood stripping the Guilds of their territories but to seize the estates of local nobility for mere trade and then distributing it directly from the Domain itself, it was preposterous!

"I expect they will, or they will have set themselves against legitimate authority and are the heirs in spirit to these rebels who sought to plunge our nation into anarchy and civil war, can any here think upon such evil acts without horror?" Antoine sat, furious yet powerless to act. "Furthermore it has been relayed to me that your office signed off some 'first contact' farce without my secretary's approval. Will the First Minister be kind enough to give us his reasoning for pursuing such grand maneuvers without state or even military acknowledgement?" murmurs filled the room and attention fixed on the two men at the head of the table.

"As I've stated, your Imperial Highness, the diplomatic bureau consulted me personally and seeing as your Imperial Highness was engaged with more pressing matters in-"

"Enough." the Emperor was parried yet sought to maintain face "As the preeminent galactic power we will accept the duty of inducting another race into the spectrum of interstellar diplomacy with honor, courage and decency." he moved his gaze from Antoine to the assembled men.

"Furthermore I would like to let it be known that my eternal gratitude goes out to those Nobles who have shown great charity by donating military forces in the efforts to bring order to Ambrosia..." the Emperor would once more dominate the proceedings.

Antoine didn't even bother to bring up the real situation on Ambrosia as he felt his efforts would be in vain. Marshal Talbot had send him a message a day ago which had been copied and relayed to the Emperor's secretary only to have the matter be ignored completely, Imperial soldiers had been engaged in a mass plunder of Guild territories, ranging from theft and murder all the way to rape and torture there were even reports of units engaged in infighting over stolen riches. The realm felt the pain, revolutionary elements paraded the evidence of excesses and in many areas of unrest the call for a Republic was loudly heard. It would only be a matter of time until they applied a popular name to the display, the Empire was unraveling and Antoine was powerless to stop it.


The last communicae he sent was to Marshal Talbot urging him to do 'everything humanly possible' to regain control of the situation.

In orbit over New Terra
Leopold Base Operations Center

The alien vessel had been detected almost immediately as it dropped out of its FTL jump and although hundreds of ships often move in and out of New Terran space on a regular basis this one's distinct signal set it apart from the rest. Captain Özel nodded, it was only a few days ago when an Imperial Guard officer told her to expect a foreign ship although he neglected to provide any exact details instead only reminding her that one of his men left a document to be transmitted to the ship after initial contact was made.

"Lieutenant, open communications with the foreign vessel." within moments she received a nod from one of her staff officers, after a brief interaction with her personal console she began a broadcast aimed towards the foreign vessel specifically in English as directed.

"Attention foreign vessel, your presence here has been noted and we have been expecting you. You are obliged to observe the Emperor's peace while in New Terran space at all times, a delegation from our government is awaiting your shuttle at the following coordinates." the comm line was cut as a the prepared document was transmitted to the ship providing direct coordinates to a landing bay outside the Imperial Palace, the document also contained information about New Terra's atmosphere as well as civilian transit lanes. The Captain went back to her observation protocol, there had been a brief surge in military readiness to prepare for the arrival of foreign dignitaries although it wasn't usually the norm to prepare missile barrages as a precaution. She couldn't help but wonder what was so important about this one particular ship as she attended her duties.

---

New Terra
Imperial Palace, Landing Zone 1-A

A cool breeze swept through the open garden, the assembled line of honor guards stood tall and straight even as their trenchcoats and standards blew in the wind. Standing across from this stone wall of soldiers was an assembly of bureaucratic and diplomatic officials as well as many nobles who arrived to see what the commotion was over although none of them held the same composure as the soldiers.

Useless yet privileged, Heinrich Sachsen said to himself with scorn as he stood ahead of the assembled delegates on the landing pad overlooking them all. At the very end of the path between the two groups several individuals in military uniform rapidly paced towards him, he couldn't help but crack a smile as he recognized William Talbot hurriedly leading the procession. He had assembled the men as dictated by the First Minister but unfortunately he 'forgot' to inform the Marshal of the procession, by the time Talbot finally made it to the pad some of the more physically challenged members of his delegation were nearly winded.

"I see you've finally made it Your High Excellency," his smile grew as he saw Talbot glaring at him, "I trust your walk was most constitutional?"

"Almost as good as yours will be, back to your desk that is." he saluted one of the awaiting Guardsman officers, "Funny that, wearing all those medals and the only war you fight is on paperwork." Heinrich's smile slowly dissipated, an awkward silence followed as both men gave the other a cold stare whilst both of their retinues looked on nervously.

"Well then," Talbot began, "Shall we begin or should we continue taking the piss?" Sachsen gave a nod and the group faced the landing pad, hoping for the expedient arrival of the alien shuttle. It was an exciting moment very rarely did anybody in the Commonwealth come into direct contact with non-Humans unless they worked on the frontier but that harkens back to rather poor memories of alien life. The last races the Empire came into contact with were brutally conquered and continued to be occupied under a system which views them as inferior. This would be the first time in New Terran history that an alien race would be communicated with on equal terms and that made some uneasy. Another long cold breeze swept through the Palace grounds as they waited for the shuttle, their interest almost masking the tension.

Marshal Talbot checked his watch, still not here, he said in his mind as he waited he had his adjutant bring up the latest military reports.

William Talbot was known for being informal when it came to certain aspects of military procedure this along with his natural talent earned him respect amongst his officers. The recent expeditions authorized by him into several areas of space as a show of power greatly endeared him to the people and soldiers as well, for too long has our nation fought itself and kept isolated, but now, he remembered saying, it was time to return to the stars as our ancestors have done and make our mark on the galaxy. He looked down at the datapad handed to him, the operation in Talarin had been going smoothly, he had always liked that old goat Apraksin although as of yet the Zeleniyans have refused to make contact it would soon be time to proceed with the operation.

He was about to review a file of a proposed expedition into Zaa'Nabar when excitement from the crowd grasped his attention, they all were shouting amongst themselves as they pointed to the object that had already completed a circle around the Palace, its design intrigued the Marshal but he quickly regained composure. The assembled crowd of nobles weren't the only people distracted by the object as some of the stoic honor guard also began to look up and even his own adjutant was regaling the craft. He gave a light slap to the back of the mans heads and gave him the datapad to store for later, as the craft finally approached the landing pad he gave a brief command and the entire assembly stood at attention with the exception of Sachsen who kept a hand on the pommel of his ceremonial sabre and held an increasingly dire look.

All eyes were on the dropship, many looked on in awe as its hatch opened and the aliens began to dismount their weapons were immediately recognized which was a brief concern for the Marshal until he saw one of the individuals depart unarmed, he gave a tug on his extravagant ceremonial uniform before slowly approaching the assembled delegation,

"I am Marshal William Talbot and it is my great pleasure to welcome you to our world."

At first the Red Sun vessel went unnoticed before a Gendarme relay outpost picked up on it's registration signals or lack thereof and immediately sent a transmission to the ship, mistaking it to be a pirate or smuggler the message sent in the common New Terran language sounded forceful and threatening,

"Navire, vous resterez dans votre position actuelle et de s'abstenir de l'activation de systèmes d'armes et attendre de nouveaux ordres."

A few moments passed and the same voice added to the previous message.

"Navire, présenter votre pièce d'identité maintenant, vous serez guidé à un poste d'accueil po-" the transmission was suddenly cut off and a new voice appeared over the comms, this time in English and with a much more pleasant tone.

"Greetings to our compatriots of the Red Sun Imperium, we would be delighted to welcome your delegation to the capital. Please standby for landing instructions, we apologize for the inconvenience."

The 'Red Sun' had arrived at an interesting time, the Commonwealth Government was not expecting two high profile diplomatic visits in the same timeframe and no doubt certain political officials would be swiftly lining up to try get the credit for setting this policy of cooperation with other nations in the galaxy, although these claims usually implied an inferiority on part of the visiting nations as the old Imperial belief that New Terra was the preeminent yet humble galactic power remained quite popular. Even though culturally the peoples of the Commonwealth tended to consume more media from outside the nation than within, most of which was from the USC and even CFP even though many a time the governments of said nations were popularly said to have a kind of 'weakness in the loins'. Regardless the peoples of the Commonwealth and it's many worlds were fiercely patriotic and admire brotherhood with their fellow citizens, at least against foreign empires that is, it was perfectly fine for them to accept the deaths of millions of their own kind so long as it was to solve their own nations political disputes which certainly isn't the least of bizarre double standards and cultural hiccups that the people of the Commonwealth adhere to as these foreigners were sure to find out.

A single shuttle would be launched from the bay of the Taurus. Painted in a menacing black, the ship glided towards the Common wealth's home planet and landed in a similar landing bay to the one that the alliance ship had landed. The doors of the shuttle would drop down, and an ominous red glow would emit from inside of the shuttle.

New Terran Imperial Palace
Diplomatic Canton, Landing Zone 2-C

Several pairs of footsteps landing on the metallic ramp as the imposing shadows of the Imperial delegation made their way onto the Terran royal palace. Only three figures would leave the shuttle, the first being a woman. She was six feet tall, and had a stature of an extremely muscled female, however her footsteps were light. She wore a completely black dress uniform, which would look similar to that of a Naval officers clothing, however it lacked any indication of symbols that would suggest so. Her hair was a dark auburn brown, and it was kept in a neat bun, while her irises were an artificial blue color, that seemed to radiate light. She was extremely rigid, and the aura she carried was extremely disciplined and authoritative.

Much heavier footsteps arrived behind her, and took up a flank on either one of her sides once they were clear of the ramp. Both of them were extremely large men, hovering around six feet, seven inches. They wore a set of extremely complex looking black power armor. However, the soldiers moved with relative ease, and seemed to fluidly move alongside the ambassador. Their heads were the only portion of their bodies that was not covered in the black power armor, and instead donned maroon berets. Their skin was a pasty white, that seemed to imply that they rarely took off their armor. In contrast to the ambassador's face, theirs were heavily augmented. Several neat surgical scars could be seen all over their faces, and machinery seemed to cover their skulls. Their eyes lacked any sort of emotion, and where normal humans had colors of their irises intertwined with the blackness of the pupil, and touched by the whites of their eyes, these men simply had glowing blue orbs in their eye sockets. No pupils, no irises, and no white. This made any guess as to where they were looking impossible, and disconnected them even further from showing any emotion. Their synchronization seemed almost robotic as they all came to a halt at the same time, waiting for the Commonwealth to introduce themselves first.

//fixed it, v2

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Landing Zone 1-A

Marshal Talbot did not return the bow, in New Terran culture a bow was akin to acknowledging subordinate status and it would be seen as unfitting if he were to bow to a foreigner let alone an alien to say the least. Although he found the show of military bravado by the diplomats guards to be quite interesting, their armor and weaponry intrigued him, he would certainly try and work out a deal. As for the physique of the aliens themselves, their short appearance was unappealing and he didn't much care for their accents whilst the glowing eyes were unremarkable, the Heraklians often had glowing eyes behind their visors as well but it was artificial and used as a method of intimidation rather than anything practical or interesting. Even with all this Talbot was somewhat impressed, some of his colleagues on the other hand had differing opinions.

Heinrich had kept a glare on the unarmed aliens until the last alien had disembarked the craft and something set him off, whether it was the demeanor or attitude displayed by this silent alien that annoyed him remains unknown but he moved his hateful gaze and stared at the battle-hardened alien, almost as if he was challenging a fight. He had fought and killed aliens of all shapes and sizes, from scorched deserts to frozen tundras he had fought for his empire but now the empire no longer exists the appall of these thoughts had often boiled over into rage and this time was no different. Aliens would never have been welcome on New Terra let alone the Imperial Palace, to members of the 'Old Guard' this visit was seen as nothing more than a dire affront to old traditions. Talbot ignored the looming dread and focused on the task at hand,

"The honor is all mine Halla'Zah of Mel'Va," he didn't have to struggle with the words to understand he may have pronounced them wrong, "the fact you would grace us with this visit considering recent difficulties is a sign that your people must truly be wise and strong. My name is William Ferdinand Talbot of House Talbot and once-more I am pleased to make your acquaintance." he gave a motion and then after a moment he realized the alien may not have understood.

"Walk with me if you will, I have a vehicle waiting to bring us to my office." he saw his adjutant giving a nod and before long the Guard's Captain who was impatiently waiting at the end of his long line of soldiers started his procedure with a boisterous command,

"Garde-à-vous!"

The two hundred men of the honor guard stood at attention with a loud stomp that echoed through the open area, whilst neatly trimmed green grass filled much of this particular garden the area the black coated men stood on was noticeably barren likely from events such as this one. Their display of military bravado certainly outmatched that of the Kal'Bavakorians but it was understood, by Talbot at least, that the aliens weren't on their home territory and may very well not have been impressed by the display at all.

---

New Terran Imperial Palace
Diplomatic Canton, Landing Zone 2-C



The Red Sun's shuttle had been directed to land at the Diplomatic Canton which allowed easy and direct access to Commonwealth officials residing in the Capital. Previously the Diplomatic LZ's were abused by nobles seeking quicker access to the nearby dining and recreation areas and were full of personnel but since such privileges were cracked down on in recent days the hangars appeared quite abandoned aside from the occasional work crew or military patrol. Some soldiers have taken to running gambling rings in the lower hangars where there was nearly a guarantee of no official activity. Most of their officers were aware of these activities but decided to pursue more pressing issues instead.

A rather short man was rapidly approaching the awaiting Red Sun delegation, he was accompanied by three unarmed men wearing business suits which were in rather dull contrast to his own nehru jacket. Behind the four men were twelve men following in two columns of six marching side-by-side they weren't the same as the Imperial Guardsmen assembled in NMCLZ 1-A they wore military coats and had military rank insignias and were armed with Type 102 assault rifles, these were clearly Marshal Talbot's men.

"I bear the most sincere greetings on behalf of my government, communication with our Red Sun brothers is rare indeed and we are pleased to welcome you to the Palace." the man gave a briefly concerned look towards the hulking giants in power armor before continuing.

"I am Hyeon Taejo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and I would be happy to communicate with you on behalf of my government." he presented his hand.

---

New Terran Metropolitan Area
Paige Solutions Logistics Depot

"Winds are picking up, we've been getting some sour weather these days eh?" Gerard muttered in an attempt to create conversation with his silent colleagues. Harold shrugged and mumbled something and Max merely looked up before getting back to work, the rest didn't bother a response at all.

They had reason to be grim for in only a few hours they may very well be dead, Gerard sent a final message to his family only moments before they began loading the supply shuttles. The boxes were heavy, out of curiosity Gerard opened one and it was filled with Type 20s and 102s as well as several rounds of ammunition and several other boxes were labeled explosive. They were dressed in Gendarme overalls and wearing patrol hats, if anyone were to see them it wouldn't arouse suspicion as the Gendarmes had been acquiring and re-purposing old warehouse space for years now. By the time they had finished loading up the shuttles the wind had died down, their officer for the mission arrived and introduced himself as Abel.

"We estimate that the operation should last no longer than thirty minutes." he began as they embarked the shuttle a loud scraping sound as the door sealed itself shut indicated the age of the transport, "What makes or breaks this mission is dependent on whether Team B can seize control of the communications outpost fast enough to allow Team C to proceed unmolested whilst we secure the VIP. If the initial plan succeeds there will be a brief window of opportunity to seize control of the chaos before military reinforcements arrive." the transport shook to life and immediately took flight alongside two other craft and began speeding towards the Imperial Palace.

"Remember we are the Young Terrans, what we do here today will make history comrades."

Gerard was no longer afraid, he grabbed a Type 20 from the crate, the weapon felt cold in his hands and roared to life when he loaded a magazine. His fear had made way for determination.

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Landing Zone 1-A

Heinrich gave a smug and challenging smile but refrained from a retort, stopping just short of crossing the line. The Marshal stared daggers into him but was powerless to control him, there had been several backroom meetings between New Guard leaders in regards to handling the Imperial Guard but they weren't fruitful. Many of the officials still feared the power and private resources the Guard maintained, or were at least rumored to maintain, therefore they elected to do nothing and wait for an opportunity to crack down on the organization, one which had yet to come.

"Fusils prêts!"

The Captain sounded off once more and his assembled soldiers picked up their rifles and leaned them on their shoulders whilst slapping a hand over the lower barrel which produced an audible clacking sound throughout the Garden. As the Marshal and his new entourage approached the assembled Guardsmen the Captain swiftly lowered his sword to the side with a swoosh and gave a nod to the Marshal who returned with a stiff salute. As the group moved down the long line of assembled soldiers each individual man briefly fixed his gaze on the group as they moved in front before swiftly returning their gaze forwards as they passed.

The assembled nobility talked amongst themselves about the visitors in their native language, some pointed and others jested but none were openly directed towards them although the hostility of certain individuals could easily be sensed. Meanwhile as the cold winds ceased the wildlife of New Terra was beginning to emerge, birds and other flying critters could be heard in their own bickering debates from the various trees that dotted the Palace grounds.

By the time the group reached the convoy yet again a member of Talbot's group was nearly winded and trying to hide his exertion, it was the same scholarly looking man named Nelson as was before.

The convoy was made up of a humble three vehicles and flanked by various armed men, rather than the ceremonial rifles the Guardsmen carried these men held advanced automatics and were dressed in the same gray coats as the other military personnel who were newly stationed throughout the Palace and it's outlying areas whereas before they were restricted by law to the Armed Forces Canton.

The men swiftly saluted their Supreme Commander and one particular man wearing an officers cap and tan uniform opened the middle vehicles rear door before giving his own salute. Talbot returned his salute before giving a familiar motion to the alien delegates,

"After you." he offered a smile, unsure if they recognized the expression or not.

The vehicle itself was in stark contrast to the military vehicles which were positioned at it's front and rear, it was rather spacious with a rounded interior and painted black, whilst it resembled an antique this was just another facade.

---

New Terran Imperial Palace
Diplomatic Canton, Landing Zone 2-C

Hyeon didn't cry out but he came very near close to it and he emitted an 'Ah!' sound which startled his military escort at first as they reached for their slung rifles before he motioned them to stop.

"I'm happy to see you're in exceptional physical condition." Hyeon said with a sort of false flattery, "Please follow me and we can discuss the terms of this 'Alliance', and mind the gaps there's a few pitfalls on the way to the elevator." he rubbed his hand as he awaited their response.

Imperial diplomacy was indeed negligible with these Red Suns but they were more than happy to welcome any potential allies, especially if they were fellow humans. The 'Imperium' had been a relatively ignored power as they never openly communicated or interacted with other nations but if they were to begin a period of open dialogue the Commonwealth would certainly be happy to accommodate them.

---

(( Going well so far guys, but Retro if I can ask please be aware of the message headers when locating your characters otherwise you're A-okay buddy.))

New Terran Imperial Palace
Diplomatic Canton, Landing Zone 2-C

The Red Sun's diplomat would raise her eyebrows at the odd yelp, and the even odder compliment the Terran paid her. Regardless of how she personally felt, she had a goal to accomplish here. Her tone would begin slowly, however as it would progress, she emits an aura of confidence, and even a commanding tone at some points. She would walk and talk with the Terran ambassador as they would make their way towards the elevator.


"Thank you Minister Taejo, I assure you that an alliance between our two great powers will be beneficial to the both of us. While we may not be the most boisterous society, we are a very capable one, with a lot that we can offer to the Commonwealth."


The two guards, Imperium Marines, would keep a few steps behind the pair. Their armor would look extremely heavy, however slimming on the marines. They would move with relative ease, and would seem as if they weren't wearing any armor at all.

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Landing Zone 1-A

After the Kal'Bavakorian delegation piled into the vehicle it was now the Humans turn, the vehicle was nicknamed the 'clown car' for a reason and was easily capable of comfortably fitting a large group of people and was originally manufactured with the Estates in mind as it would allow a noble to travel comfortably with his advisers and officials with relative safety guaranteed from its ordnance proof windows and armored siding. As the Marshal went to follow suite the revving of the alien shuttle caught his attention and he peered back to the landing pad. While he witnessed the ship fly back into orbit a thought entered his mind, they're nervous, which was quickly followed by another, I don't blame them.

Whilst the supporters of the New Guard tended to be progressive in regards to sentient rights certain prejudices and issues still remained especially amongst the former nobility. The Cantabria Clan's dominion over the Heraklian population was diminished but significant native unrest still remained, in a secret meeting held between top officials of the Commonwealth and a Tahari delegation lead by Xruapruasp I the designated King of Uak, one of the largest nations of Tahar, a plan was outlined which entailed the creation of a satellite state encompassing the entirety of 06N or the 'Tranquil Expanse' as it was translated as from the Tahari language. This would put the Tahari in charge of security in the region and would allow significant resources to be relocated to more important projects and it was hoped this would soothe the rebellious Heraklians who may prefer working with the Tahari rather than their Human conquerors.

Although the Kal'Bavakorians may have felt nervous and beset with hostility by some of the assembled nobles the vibe given off by Talbots personnel was one of nonchalance and even interest. Nelson was quick to attempt a conversation with one of the Alien delegates and even Talbot's adjutant was looking with interest at the tablets the diplomats were toying with, while others remained stoic and militaristic. Talbot was straightening his uniform when his attention was caught by the female Bavakorian who gave him a simple yet extremely difficult question.


"What is the reason for the anger of your people against mine?"


The question was profound, not only did it catch him off guard but it was also extremely difficult to answer. He respected the Alien's honesty even if it was diplomatically inconvenient but how would he answer?

That an non-Humans life was deemed inferior to that of a Human? That the brutal occupation of other races was drilled into the Imperial mindset as a justifiable source of glory and pride? That for over 150 years there remained a law that any non-Human seen anywhere near the Palace could be executed without trial?

After a long pause he went with diplomacy,

"For many years we have lived in isolation amongst ourselves, our home planet was destroyed and many of our people were killed at the hands of non-Humans. This made us fearful of outsiders and even more afraid of change, you're one of the first non-Humans to have ever set foot on these lands in over 500 years and that frightens some people. People who would rather see you enslaved or dead and who once held great control over us and dictated our fate. But no longer do they control us, yet their voices are still heard, it isn't anger moreso than it's fear that they feel towards you. Fear of the future." he looked around and noticed the attention he had attracted and he smiled,

"Well, my speeches are finished for today, I pray I didn't bore you to death. I offer my apologies if the actions of the crowd disturbed you but I can't stress enough that their opinions do not reflect mine or those of my government."

---

New Terran Imperial Palace
Diplomatic Canton, Landing Zone 2-C

"Of that I have no doubt, I'm sure we can be just as accommodating." Hyeon said with a smile,

"If you'll follow me we can speak in a far more comfortable setting, preferably with some wine, yes?"

He turned and walked in between the two columns of soldiers, expecting the Red Sun ambassador to follow.

Even as these two meetings were being held concurrently there was further diplomatic mobilization elsewhere as pressures were being mounted against the USC over perceived past injustices. Elsewhere a scathing criticism was being prepared in the bowels of the Diplomatic Main Office related to a perceived attempt at economic and resource domination by what was called the 'big three' made up of the USC, CFP, and SRoZ which would be presented to Armistice Station in the coming week.

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Landing Zone 1-A

Lady Ambassador Halla'Za would smile lightly beneath her visor at the response of the Marshall. Oh, the Alliance was well aware of why Mankind was so afraid of aliens; of the unknown. The Alarei, of course; the supreme aliens who destroyed the human homeworld, just as the humans had done to the Alarei's in return. The question had not been one of nativity, but instead one that tested the mind; a test of character of these 'Imperials'. It was asked to see how honest and straight to the point they were; to see, at a glance, how compatible and reasonable these humans could be should diplomatic relations continue.

Kal'Bavakorian politics were much more direct than their human counterparts. A Councilor would not be afraid to call out the possible corrupt practices of another, as Councilors were supposed to represent the most honest and respectful of the Kal'Bavakorian people. Leaders were not those with money; they needed skills, power, and the ability to perform for their districts. They were raised to be the leaders for their sectors from their very birth, which is one of the many factors that tie into the success of the Kal'Bavakorian political system.

The response of the Marshall made Halla'Za smile because of its honesty, and directness. Indeed, it would seem these two groups would be compatible if the Marshall's attitude reflected the Terran government's. With a deep bowing of her head, she would click her mandibles together softly before speaking..

"The unknown can always be extremely terrifying, indeed, but it can hold something worthwhile if you venture forwards. Fear not, dear Marshall; your speech did not 'bore' us, as you may think. The way in which you answer gives us insight to how you may reason with this 'unknown'... Us."

She raises her head. Her unseen face, blank the visor hiding it was, seemed warm and sincere.

"My people still fear the unknown, as yours understandably do. That is why we are here today. After conflicts in the Alpha Mining Sector.. You call it 'Teuffel', or something alike.. We wish to seek no more enemies, and end our lack of understanding. My people wish to emerge from our isolation in the galaxy, and enter the community as a trading partner, an ally, and most of all: A friend to our alien counterparts. We wish, simply, to make the unknown.. Known."

She cocks her head to the side and, after a moment of silence, she motions to one of her diplomatic counterparts beside her. The suited male carries a large backpack on his lap; large even for human standards, and is holding it rather protectively. Upon being motioned to, he gazes over at the Marshall, and gives a nod of silent greeting as the Lady Ambassador speaks again in her relaxing tone.

"While I am afraid there are many things I must keep secret in regards to my people, I can extend a few tokens of our 'unknown', to you. We have brought Kal'Bavakorian cuisines, trinkets, and other miscellaneous items for you to have. I have also brought an elder ceremonial weapon from many years past.. An honorable weapon. It is called a 'Slot Sword'. It represents the power and strength of our warrior culture, yet the finesse and delicacy of our diplomatic side, and I shall present it to you once we reach an area of better security."

As Lady Ambassador Halla'Zah speaks to the Marshall, another interesting side conversation seems to be taking place. The human Nelson, upon attempting to speak with one of his Kal'Bavakorian counterparts, would be met with warm enthusiasm. The youthful male diplomat, curious, would ask many questions to the much larger human Nelson.

"In relation to a Galactic Standard Year.. How many years do your species usually live for?" He asks calmly in well-spoken English. It seems all the diplomats have practiced their Human English very well, although retain some of their accents in doing so.

As for the other Kal'Bavakorian occupants of this 'clown car' who are not currently speaking; they remain silent. The diplomats not currently taken up by conversation are copying down questions and their answers, conversations between the two diplomatic groups, culture and planetary marks, and a whole host of other information for the Svu'Kavsi Intelligence Division to assess once they returned home. The Alliance Legionnaires, at the same time, remain silent and motionless. The seven soldiers, and the Lord General, have their rifles slung behind their back, and their helmeted heads remain staring straight ahead..

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Landing Zone 1-A

Even as the vehicle revved to life Marshal Talbot kept his attention towards the Lady Ambassador, he found her quite intriguing and saw her as wise. It was quite a refreshing change of pace as usually the only non-Human delegates he ever dealt with were the Tahari who resembled merchants more than diplomats and who always wanted more regardless if an agreement was in their favor and then there were the Heraklians who were impossible to work with and often refused to meet at all unless done on their own territory. But not with these Kal'Bavakorians who seemed intelligent and reasonable and who might even be an advanced society.

When he had first seen the enormous pack he thought they may have wanted to do a treaty signing right then and there but as she explained it made him feel rather outdone. Although he remained interested especially in this so-called 'Slot Sword', he nodded before speaking.

"I must admit, I am not nearly as prepared in terms of a cultural exchange but I'm sure our drive will give you an eye for our architecture and certain customs and if you desire I can prepare a more in-depth presentation later, but before then I'm afraid I'm going to have to hold you prisoner..." he smiled as he delivered the next part giving a moment for the statement to wash over them,

"I can't possibly in good conscience allow you to leave without sampling some Terran cuisine, it's really quite exquisite and we have some of the best Chef's available here in the Palace." he gave a brief chuckle along with his subordinates before continuing to a more pressing matter, his jovial expression quickly dissipating.

"To go back to your previous subject, in regards to Tefeull there was very little lack of understanding, I'm afraid." he scanned her coolly as he presented his hand to his adjutant who quickly filled it with a datapad with which he quickly brought up the pertinent information.

"The group of Humans you were attacked by knew full well your personnel posed no threat yet they attacked anyway, we believe because they had knowledge of your large deposits of helium-3 and saw an opportunity. The Tefeull zone remains one of the largest deposits of that resource currently known to us and is naturally a hotspot for conflict. Your base was attacked primarily due to pragmatism on part of the 'USC' as these Humans call themselves, they saw the opportunity to not only rid the zone of a potential rival they also saw the opportunity to seize whatever technology they could along with helium-3 from your base." he took a pause to allow the Ambassador a moment to digest the information before continuing,

"Our outpost in the region focuses as a collection and bartering center as well as an intelligence outpost, we easily intercepted much of the transmissions sent between your two sides. They refuted any and all offers you've made to establish diplomatic contact and they've even issued a formal declaration of war. You are not the only people to have been wronged by these people and you certainly will not be the last, even now they use enslaved non-human labor to work their asteroids and it was only a few decades ago when they had even hoped to enslave my people, their fellow humans."

Although he had exaggerated his final point the rest was quite accurate, regardless of the situation the USC sure found it easy to ignore the repeated attempts for a dialogue by the Kal'Bavakorians and they wasted little time in testing their new military technology on these newfound enemies. To many outside nations the USC seemed like a country that promoted democracy and freedom yet too rarely practiced it themselves and even moreso stuck their noses where it wasn't welcome. In the former Empire the USC became compared with an old saying that compared them to an 'old man who gives good advice but doesn't follow it.' Although nowadays a new saying was becoming prevalent with the USC being labeled a 'paper tiger' who would only attack a weak and complacent enemy rather than one on equal footing right in front of them.

As the car drove on escorted by it's military convoy a much more positive exchange was being had near the back of the car,

"Oh, it depends on several factors," Nelson happily answered the diplomats query "There's individual health that's taken into account of course along with genetics and scientific tampering we once expected to live to about 80 to 90 but now most healthy individuals can live to a little over 100, in fact I believe the oldest person in the nation is 137..."

Nelson was more than happy to answer the young diplomats questions almost overbearing so, often with several more of his own questions in return.

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Landing Zone 1-A

For a split second, as the Marshall speaks these words regarding 'holding prisoner', every single Alliance Legionnaire, including the Lord General, snap their gazes to meet his. It is only a split second, and immediately after he continues to speak, they relax back to their original, stoic positions. While this situation was only momentary, and barely noticeable; it is clear to the trained eye that something has these soldiers on edge..

Although, based on the conversation topic, it was probably obvious.

While the Lady Ambassador and her diplomatic entourage were much more relaxed and able to communicate with their human hosts, the Alliance soldiers and their Lord General were in a tense standoff with themselves in spite of all that happened in the Mining Sector. The humans had killed their battle brothers and sisters, and they didn't want others to share the same fate. Yet, they were now in the confines of a human vehicle, surrounded by armed humans.. It made them worried. If what the Marshall had said was true, and they had no reason to believe otherwise, then the humans would easily understand.

The Lady Ambassador could not come to the emotional aid of her brothers and sisters at the moment, though. She listens intently to the Marshall as, past the initial friendly chatter and wishes, they move on to business. Beside her, her many attending diplomatic advisers were dancing their small hands upon their data-pads; writing this goldmine of information down letter for letter. These USC-Humans were just as terrible as the Svu'Kavsi made them out to be, by the words of Talbot. Even the Alliance only uses slave labor derived from the most hideous and evil of the population: Murderers, serial killers, corrupt politicians, and the like. The Marshall's last few words perked her interest, though..

You certainly will not be the last...

And it gave her an opening for a brilliant diplomatic maneuver. As soon as he finishes, the Lady Ambassador perks up a tiny bit; pausing to look over the Marshall once more before speaking. He was definitely opening up to herself and her delegate.. Could it be possible he may be interested in business so early on? There was only one way to find out, and waiting would only make a problematic issue grow. She began to speak gently.

"Marshall Talbot, my entourage and I would be most happy to become a 'prisoner' of your most delicious sounding foods.. Although we'd need to do a few checks first. It'd be terrible if we ate the one thing my species is allergic to on this world."

She cocks her head to the side and releases a soft hooting sound; a light laugh. Her tone would do an immediate turnaround, although, once the topic of the Mining Field was set upon. She would almost immediately become reserved, almost stoic, and a business-like attitude washes over her. It was time.

"...Indeed, my people have been made well aware of their disregard for Alliance lives first hand. Although we are new to this 'Galactic Community', of sorts; we have already found ourselves entering a conflict in which many must lay their lives down. A sad time this will indeed be."

She pauses a moment, before continuing a bit more vigorously in her speech of sorts.

"My people, as you have seen from our contact here, are eager to make new friends. We are respectful to other species, and we take pride in our diplomatic spirit. But we are also warriors at heart. While I cannot relinquish too much information in regards to my people's actions at the mining asteroid belt, and I wish not to make you feel uncomfortable, I feel like I must say this..

My people have, as yours have, faced hard times in recent years. To save ourselves, we raced to develop technology beyond the wildest imaginations of your USC brethren; technology that can heal planets ruined, or make livable ones that never were. We have developed weapon systems that harness the pure destructive energies that are so evident in our many suns.. Plasma, high-energy laser systems, and other weapons that are beyond simple words. We make these weapons to deter potential aggressors because, when my people fight, we fight to survive. The USC has presented a threat to the existence of my species and, therefore, must be faced."

She exhales once; placing her hands into her own lap as to try and appear more composed. The other diplomats in her entourage continue copying down the proceedings, or stop speaking with their human counterparts to allow the speech to take place. After a few moments of silence from the Ambassador, she finally speaks up again; her voice no longer strong and outgoing, but more relaxed, although she seems a tinge worried. It seems these proceedings have begun to take an entirely new turn.

"Unfortunately, while am very excited to continue to learn and speak with you on a pleasurable basis; I feel business in relation to the Mining Field incident cannot wait, and must be addressed first. Would you prefer to speak now, within' the confines of this vehicle? Or would you prefer a place more formal, maybe even over this Terran cuisine you mentioned earlier?

I must repeat, though, how pressing this matter is."

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Imperial Admiralty Building

Talbot nodded and smiled at the pleasantries and even gave a chuckle at her amusing laughter, but when the topic changed he quickly brought back his serious demeanor, he expected the diplomatic maneuvering after all he had purposely set the stage for it with his previous comments. He listened intently to the story of her race and raised his eyebrows as she detailed her people's supposed technological achievements. At first he assumed she was exaggerating about her nations technological prowess but judging from the limited information they had acquired on their ships so far it all seemed plausible.

As the Ambassador spoke of her pressing 'business' he nodded and gave a brief reply,

"I will hear of this matter momentarily, we are approaching the Admiralty and I have members of my staff waiting for us, that's where we can safely conduct the bulk of our business. But until that dreary affair is upon us, please enjoy the sights and surroundings of the Gardens, I assure you we will address these issues immediately upon our arrival." with that he motioned to one segment of the large series of windows that enveloped them.

There certainly was much to see, the various Gardens that comprised much of the Palace Compound were built up with over several hundred years worth of attention by an army of servants. Vegetation and wildlife dotted the grounds and as they sped towards the looming Admiralty in the distance they followed alongside a massive reflecting pool within which shone back the blurred silhouette of the convoy. But this wasn't the only life in the Gardens, people walked to and fro and every once in awhile another vehicle would be seen slowly coursing their way through the area.

A uniformed man was seen walking with his sweetheart under a tree, a group of cadets marched in formation with their instructor bellowing orders, a noblewoman was accompanied by a friend as she sat next to the pool with her children, a middle-aged man was seen reading in the shade, gardeners contended with the wind as they rushed about their duties all was a regular part of Palace life.

Nelson was chipper as ever, he had been giving everybody nearest to him his own personal tour of the Palace, he pointed in the direction of the Canton where faithful Emperor Leopold III was shot down by his own soldiers, he talked about how the interregnum rocked the old Empire down to its foundation, he spoke about how the daring Captain Marcus attempted a raid on the Palace itself with him and his men disguised as servants and how the Imperial Guard had been bound by law since to always be in uniform when on Palace grounds, the Kal'Bavakorians would hear quite a bit of Imperial History whether they wanted to or not.

The convoy slowed as it approached one of the enormous arches that marked the entrance to the Compound. The Admiralty itself was an enormous white columned building shaped like an outward 'U', it's courtyard was a large barren patch of grass save a spectacular fountain ornamented with eagles and other old Imperial symbols. A prominent banner was hung over the entrance which had the phrase 'Riche Accueil, Forte Armée' printed on it, it was a popular Commonwealth political slogan meaning 'Rich Country, Strong Army', such slogans were popular amongst the Empire and now the Commonwealth as it allowed detailed policies undertaken by the government to be easily simplified for the better understanding of the nation as a whole, in this case the full meaning of the saying coined by Hyeon Taejo was 'Enrich the Country, strengthen the Military.'

The car smoothly came to a stop perfectly in front of the buildings main entrance, a waiting 'honor guard' of officers stood at the ready although they were very few compared to the men present at the landing pad and this time there was no crowd. One of them stiffly made his way to the back of the vehicle and opened the door. As Talbot's delegation disembarked he clicked his heels and saluted the long line of superior officers hopping out of the car although he didn't extend the same courtesy to the Kal'Bavakorians. This time the Marshall himself went to help the Lady Ambassador out of the transport as a gesture of respect.

As they approached the entrance Talbot saluted the waiting group of officers and lead both delegations up a large central staircase to two heavy oaken doors, both had the old Imperial Navy Seal carved into them. Two of his assistants rushed to pull open the doors and the group poured into the lobby, whilst it may have looked impressive from the outside the interior seemed quite smaller in comparison although it was no less impressive, huge portraits of ships, fleets and old Admirals dotted the walls and the ceiling was host to some impressive murals, to a newcomer it may have looked impressive but to the Marshal and his retinue it was business as usual.

Talbot turned to the Female Diplomat.

"I'm going to have to insist that from this point on only utmost important personnel be allowed past this point for our further discussions," he looked to the armed legionnaires.

"I understand you have security concerns, but I believe I've sufficiently shown my earnest intentions and humbly ask that you show me the same level of trust." he fixed his gaze back on the Ambassador as he awaited her response, her answer would give him an idea of whether or not distrust would cloud their further diplomatic proceedings.

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Imperial Admiralty Building

William smiled,

"Excellent, I'm glad you could understand. We tend to disapprove of negotiations at the barrel of a gun, one of our oldest sayings is 'you cannot build the house of peace on a foundation of distrust', and we tend to follow it's lesson." he looked to Nelson and gave a motion with his hand which was replied to with a brief nod as the man along with a few other officers departed down one of the long hallways on the ground floor.

"This way, it's time to begin the trek."

Talbot lead the group up a large central staircase adorned with eagles on it's posts, from there it was down a hallway and up a lift and then down a longer hallway and up yet another lift. This new particular floor had two uniformed guards flanking the entrance who clicked their heels and saluted as the Marshal lead the procession through. After walking down a short corridor they reached a final hallway which ended in a set of double doors also flanked by two guards who went through the same procedure as the previous duo after which they both opened their respective door.

The Marshal lead them into a room with several people many of who were lounging around having their own conversations which they had all cut short in unison to salute or otherwise acknowledge the Marshal's presence. The doors thudded shut behind them and there was a brief whisking sound of air suggesting that the doors were closed air tight to prevent sound from escaping. The men in the room were a scattered bunch some wearing similar dark-blue colored uniforms to the Marshal signifying them as naval officers whilst others wore the tan of the army or the gray of the skirmisher branches which included the Planetary Defense Command, the rest wore well-tailored suits showing them to be civilian officials.

One man in particular stood out from the rest, he wore a black uniform with golden eagles on his collar, a uniform very similar to the one worn by Heinrich Sachsen, he was Imperial Guard. Either way the Kal'Bavakorians would certainly get the hint that this room was filled with important people.

After returning their collective salutes Talbot spoke,

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Lady Halla'Zah of Mel'Va from the Alliance of Kal'Bavakors Diplomatic Corps." he paused and motioned to allow the Lady Ambassador to introduce herself personally before continuing, some stared at the Aliens whilst others played it nonchalant.

"I deeply apologize for making you wait, gentlemen, but I've little time to socialize further I'm afraid, if you'll join me in the next room I'd like to begin today's business as soon as possible." in a sea of whispers the assembled group made their way to the adjourning room wherein sat a large conference table which stood out significantly as not being another classical facade and instead had several small consoles which ringed the table, no doubt to allow attendants to access and review documents quickly in mid-session.

Talbot pointed out the side of the table where the Kal'Bavakorians would sit which was in-front of the tinted windows overlooking the Gardens whilst the Commonwealth officials sat in-front of the wall directly across which was adorned with portraits of past Admirals poorly contrasting the large view screen in between them. As everyone was working out their seating arrangements a bearded man in dark blue approached the Marshal,

"De nouveaux amis intéressants que vous avez fait." he began, nodding at the Kal'Bavakorians.

"Je dirais." Talbot said, smiling and looking towards the Lady Ambassador.

"Sont-ils conscients de leur flotte est dans la bataille?"

"Je ne suis pas sûr, déjà, hein?" the Marshal's face expressed brief concern before he replied to his compatriot, "Garder nos forces en état d'alerte, nous allons voir comment la réunion s'est terminée la première." the officer nodded and swiftly left the room, initiating the mechanical doors to slowly slide shut.

Afterwards he made his way to sit at the head of the table facing across to the now closed doorway, his chair was noticeably yet subtly higher than everyone else's in the room, symbolically showing his authority over the attendees.

"Well then," he started after removing his cap, "At risk of sounding like the first day of school let's go around the table and introduce ourselves for those unacquainted, especially amongst our non-Human friends. I shall save myself for last and we will start with Admiral Quiéret." he nodded at the grim looking man to his left who gruffly began the procedure.

"Vice Admiral André Quiéret, Interstellar Artillery Command." the attentions passed to the next man and so on,

"Ridgeway, representing the First Minister which is whom I speak for."

"Shin Ki Chan, Ministerial Director of the Imperial Diet, for all that's worth."

"General Roemer, Interstellar Technological Advancement Bureau, dealing of course in matters of interstellar technological advancement."

"Over here already? Torres, the Bureaucratic Minister and Viceroy for all we hold and administer in Tahar, Heraklia and the Tranquil Expanse Territories."

"Lasalle," the black uniformed man spoke, "Deputy Commander of Imperial Guard Task Forces in USC Space."

"Joseph Almond, General, Commonwealth 3rd Army Group."

"Lieutenant General Streicher, Commonwealth Army Special Operations Force."

"Aslambek Auschev, Undersecretary of the Foreign Affairs Office, representing Hyeon Taejo."

"Admiral Pavel Kiselyov, Commonwealth 1st Fleet."

The assembled delegates looked across the table at the Kal'Bavakorian sitting at the very edge of the group obviously expecting his introduction.


((Apologies for the delay.))

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Imperial Admiralty Building

Contented the Marshal leaned back in his chair,

"And I am William Talbot, Grand Admiral of New Terra, Marshal of the Empire, Lord Protector of Ambrosia, Head of the Admiralty and Consul of the Palace." after pausing for a quick glance around the table he fixed his gaze on the Lady Ambassador once-more,

"Now then, what was this 'business' you spoke of?" his directness was accompanied with a smile.

The rest of the table followed suite and looked across to the Ambassador.